Magical Listenings
by SomecallmeMichelle
Summary: First cross post to ao3! Though he was aware she kept herself watchful over the deserted night, he thought this to be the chance to talk to Arya Shade-Slayer, little does he know Sapphira is listening in, not on Arya's replies, but to Eragon's own replies, and figuring it out. Slice of Life. For the /r/ fanfiction prompt challenge 6 - phone tag


The spell to be able to view into the person you wished to pry upon, some might even say upon was uttered with a soft voice. She who was always the most graceful amongst their people, even to Eragon's presence, and he who had fallen in love with her, seemed as if fate could no longer deny it.

Duties once more kept them aside, and the fact that **Alagaësia,** the land he had been fated to leave and never to return to, and the fact that nothing could presume it's way into the ways of protection against Eleesméra drawn by magic, over which Arya ruled as a queen and which were part of the lands Eragon had left, made it hard for them to talk.

But finally a chance had stood up before them, and as the magic made it's way across the distance, vaguely tiring the one who was neither elf-nor human, the maiden known as Arya sat by staring at Eragon.

To Saphira, who, was, but an observer through the mind of Eragon, she couldn't help but look at his rider who sat by, she couldn't hear Arya's side of the conversation, but she pretend to nap and hear Eragon's.

Eragon followed the Elves' customs, showing his respect for the queen of their people, despite the hint of red that threatened to tint his neck and cheeks. They might have been warriors, and companions in battle, but something within them had never stopped being tense.

Arya smiled and followed suit.

"It's no problem, Arya Shade-Slayer" - He replied, to his greetings, then almost as an after thought he added. - "How is fírnen? I trust him to be good?" - Eragon Shade slayer stood still as he heard the fair maiden speak, the maiden who had killed hundreds if not thousands with the weapons she wielded behind her back.

"No, the time has not yet come for him to come." - He cheekily grinned, knowing by his connection to his dragon, the one with the jewel like scales, Sapphira, that she eagerly awaited that day, and he could sense, almost feel as if the insensitive question of "when is he coming, little one?", was also assaulting Arya's mind. Arya who stood flinch less, nothing bothering her.

Sapphira scoffed, "Really little one?" - But she was ignored

"I've found a spot far enough, yes, but it still needs setting up, you know how ravenous a thunder of dragons could be." - He had been surprised to learn a group of dragons was called by a thunder, but for just as the sun dipped in the night, he found the name appropriate. Finding himself smiling like a fool he quickly took on a serious expression.

"No, not like a dolt, you once told me, Arya Shade Slader, that I was foolish for not becoming an executor, and turning into a tool" - That wasn't the whole truth of the matter, but it was close enough to the truth, and for a moment he could sense her off guard, off set of her position, though she was quick to hide it. Elves had had hundreds of years to practice their etiquette and social queues, and though she was relatively young for her race, she was still one who had mastered such frivolous contacts.

"Yes, even after all that I still maintain my position." - And he would, he would stand to defend it even to his unnaturally lengthened life, at the time he had thought long and large about it, and now, now he was even more so than he had been right.

"Yes, yes indeed I have grown, past Nasuada and even the elves control, I am my own man." - Or whatever Eragon was, the first of a mixed generation, something not entirely unlike any other race. He who had united all races under the banner of the dragon riders. - "And no, I am not going to apologise for it, I think this war brought…" - He gulped, thinking about all those he had lost along the way. Sapphira so desperately wanted to shield him from the pain, but she knew him to be strong,, to be able to withstand it. - "I think this war brought a lot of loses, and made both me and Roran mature beyond our years, if that's what makes me grow up so be it." - He felt his hands tense up, he had been eager to listen Arya, always eager to listen to the older elf's advice, now, however? Now he wasn't so sure…

"You once scoffed at my feelings, much like you scoff now and told me I am but a child, even by my race's standards, well believe me Arya, I have grown." - He felt an immense weight on his shoulders, the apparent weight of the entire world on his back. - "I'm not just a child anymore."

There was a pause, Arya spoke, Eragon bit his lip. - "I somehow feel that way too...what Galbarotix did...well we had no choice, still." - He turned sideways, he didn't want her to see him swallowing tears.

"It's...you know me to be but a warrior, a roguish brute, an intellectual when I started my dragon rider trainer. But is it enough? Oromis rushed things, and though he claimed my training concluded, I still don't feel confident giving the next generation the segway."

"...Maybe you're right, maybe it will go as it was intended and it will go fine, or maybe I will blast it, blast it and ruin the next generation!" - He screamed into the depths of the emptiness, where nothing was but Saphira an eye on him, a mental link assuring him she was there for him. - "Either way, I'll find out right?"

"It is indeed as fate wills it, we can bend nature by magic, but maybe you're right, it'd be wrong if the trees blows it in a whole other way."

"Thank you Arya, for what is worth I trust you'll stand up with the dragon riders" - There was a subtle nuance there, she was one of them now, not just queen of her people, though her loyalty to her people came first.

He ended the spell, he felt utterly spent though the magical effort required to maintain the spell wasn't that great, When he had heard whispers that aria was out of Elleesméra, he just had to.

He sighed, life was never easy for a dragon rider.


End file.
